Kayla Cullen’s Training Secrets For When You’re Busy As Hell

By Natasha Van Der Laan10th Feb 2017

You set yourself a New Year’s resolution to get fighting fit, didn’t you? How’s that working for you? All too often, life gets in the way and you find yourself running around like a headless chicken with no time to pick up those dumbbells—don’t worry, we understand.

In need of some fitspiration ourselves, we chatted to Silver Fern Kayla Cullen and asked her to share her pearls of wisdom. As well as being a member of the world’s best netball team (Australia who?), Kayla has just been announced as part of Nike’s Pacific team of elite female athletes—total goals! The stellar athlete reveals the low-down on her training routine, her diet, fave workout songs and tips to train when you’re busy af.

Kayla, tell us a bit about yourself!

I'm 24. I play netball for the Northern Stars and Silver Ferns. I have lived in Auckland all my life and love the vibes and everything this city has to offer. I have a puppy named Ella and I am a chocolate addict.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I start the day off with muesli or, if I'm on the run, a banana or smoothie. I make the hike out to Papakura to the Northern Stars training facilities. I pump out some weights and do a bit of cardio before finishing with a core circuit. I then take Ella for a short walk. She's a bulldog so doesn't like exercising that much.

What does your weekly training routine involve?

We have two court sessions and four gym/cardio sessions a week. I have a rest and recovery day on Sunday—my favourite day!

Life can be damn hectic and sometimes training is put on the back-burner. What are your three tips for training when people are busy as hell?

1. Sleep in your workout gear...seriously! If you struggle getting up in the morning, it's one less thing you have to worry about when the alarm goes off.

2. Quality over quantity. Twenty minutes of meaningful, focused training is more useful than mucking around for an hour. So commit to your workout...and go hard! One way to do this is to use the Nike+ Training Club App. The workouts range from five minutes to an hour, so you can match up the workout with how much time you have. At the moment, I’m loving the “Powered by Strength” workout.

3. Walking your dog counts as exercise!

A lot of people make New Year’s resolutions to be healthier. What would be your number one piece of advice for staying on track?

My advice would be to set short-term and long-term goals—achievable ones! From my personal experience, once you have achieved something small, you'll feel proud of yourself and become much more motivated to stick to your long-term goals. It’s important to celebrate the small stuff along the way!

What are your workout essentials?

1. Good music is essential—nobody wants to hear your loud panting!

2. Water and lots of it.

3. The right shoes. Nothing is more annoying than feeling like your footwear isn’t flexible enough to drop down into a burpee or sturdy enough to lift heavy weights. At the gym, you’ll catch me in my Nike Metcon DSX Flyknits. They’re light, stable, flexible AND good-looking.

4. Mates! They can keep you motivated and get the competitiveness flowing.

What do you do for relaxation?

I like to hang with my friends at the beach or get out and do an activity such as mini golf or shooting hoops. And I love to just chill at home with my puppy these days.

What’s the best part of what you do?

The best part is getting to represent your country and testing yourself against the best in the world! There's something so satisfying about playing in the black dress. And, you also get to meet some pretty cool chicks along the way.

What’s your life mantra?

I don't really have one but if I did, it would be something along the lines of, “The energy you put into anything is the energy you will receive back”.

You’re in the process of overcoming an injury. What’s next on the horizon for you?

I am focusing on getting aerobically fit, getting my lower body back up to full strength and getting myself court-ready for the 2017 ANZ Premiership league with the Northern Stars.

Fast Five | Favourite Local Spots…

For a drink? Harry in Ponsonby.

For a coffee? Rosie in Parnell.

For breakfast? Meadow in Meadowbank.

For dinner? Madam Woo in Takapuna.

For shopping? Kmart or Jetsetbohemian.

Want to train like Kayla? Sign up for NikeWomen’s Metcon Mondays. Run by NTC (aka Nike+ Training Club), the training programme encourages you and your team to work together to smash your fitness goals. No more excuses—get training!

Editor’s note: This article is proudly sponsored by NikeWomen and endorsed by The Urban List. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who make The Urban List possible. Click here for more information on our editorial policy.

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